Statistical properties and lensing effect on the repeating fast radio burst FRB 180916.J0158+65

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the statistical properties of FRB 180916.J0158+65, revealing bimodal distributions in dispersion measures and waiting times, and suggests plasma lensing effects and a neutron star origin.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed statistical analysis of dispersion measures and waiting times for this repeating FRB, proposing plasma lensing and a neutron star in a high-mass X-ray binary as explanations.

Findings

Dispersion measures show bimodal distribution with frequency-dependent peaks.

Waiting times also bimodal, with peaks at 0.05622s and 1612.91266s.

Evidence suggests plasma lensing effects influence observed properties.

Abstract

FRB 180916.J0158+65 is a well-known repeating fast radio burst with a period ($16.35~\rm days$) and an active window ($5.0~\rm days$). We give out the statistical results of the dispersion measures and waiting times of bursts of FRB 180916.J0158+65. We find the dispersion measures at the different frequencies show a bimodal distribution. The peaking dispersion measures of the left mode of the bimodal distributions increase with frequency, but the right one is inverse. The waiting times also present the bimodal distribution, peaking at 0.05622s and 1612.91266s. The peaking time is irrelevant to the properties of bursts, either for the preceding or subsequent burst. By comparing the statistical results with possible theoretical models, we suggest that FRB 180916.J0158+65 suffered from the plasma lensing effects in the propagation path. Moreover, this source may be originated from a highly magnetized neutron star in a high-mass X-ray binary.